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Isaac-1 · 08-03-2020, 03:18 PM

Well according to my local automotive air conditioner guy the condenser on my 2002 P32 chassis Safari Trek with 8.1L engine is clogged and needs to be replaced. I have used this guy for years, and he has fixed air conditioner issues no one else could solve. The problem is he is booked up and not too keen on doing this project as my coach will not fit all the way through the roll up doors at his new shop. So I am thinking about tackling this job myself while in the area replacing oil cooler lines (abraded, rubbed on Safe-T Plus bracket the PO installed 5 years ago) and ABS brake lines (oozing).

My question is what else should I replace while at it (dryer, expansion valve, etc?), and what are the basic steps involved. I have some refrigeration service experience, just not much with automotive stuff, and not much lately. Tool wise I have a cheap R134a gauge manifold, a 2 stage 5.5 cfm vacuum pump (JB Industries) that works if you whack it just right, and even an old electronic micron gauge (also JB industries), plus the usual assortment of wrenches, ....

p.s. I should mention the coach has an Evans Tempcon air conditioner system, and the heater core has manual cut off valves added by the PO, currently cooling, but not nearly as good as it was 3-4 years ago.

mfire1339 · 08-06-2020, 12:13 PM

I assume he means the air flow thru the condenser is blocked and not refrigerant flow. Refrigerant can be blocked by dryer or expansion valve, inside condenser not likely. Unless compressor blew up. But you have some cooling. I would carefully wash the condenser from engine side.

Mike

Isaac-1 · 08-06-2020, 12:37 PM

I have washed it out as good as possible without unmounting it and no improvement, my next step is to unmount it and see if it is clogged up from the back.

I don't know the full service history on the air conditioner system, but do know at some point before I bought it 4 years ago someone replaced the dryer as they used the wrong one (mounting bracket clocked differently) and rigged the mounting with a couple of big hose clamps. I also know it did blow cold for the first couple of years I owned the coach, then got progressively worse, I had it in at my local auto AC guys shop last summer where he diagnosed needing a new condenser, and of course this year all travel plans have been on hold.

CJ7365 · 08-06-2020, 05:41 PM

Did he mean its clogged on the inside, as in the tubes are clogged, it would be hard to believe that the condenser would be clogged on the outside.

Does your condenser have the engine cooler combined?

If not, there are after market condensers for $100 you could use.

Isaac-1 · 08-06-2020, 06:47 PM

Yes, it is one of those that have the integrated oil coolers, and costs around $500. I guess that my next step is to plan on pulling it and seeing if there is gunk sandwiched between it and the radiator. It loos fairly clean from the front, and radiator looks fairly good from the back, I just don't know what it looks like between there, and since the next step involves pulling it to replace it, I guess i might as well get it over with.